


Child's Play

by Ahigheroctave



Category: Sonny with a Chance
Genre: 20 Questions, F/M, Games, I Never, True Love, Truth or Dare, mash - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-30
Updated: 2009-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-17 13:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/552247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ahigheroctave/pseuds/Ahigheroctave
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This game is broken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. TRUE LOVE

"This game is broken!" She screamed, erasing like mad against the piece of paper.

"Aw, Tawni, don't tell me you finally got sick of looking at yourself in the mirror," Sonny Monroe smiled to herself from where she was reading Chocolat on her side of the dressing room.

"Ha, ha," Tawni rolled her eyes, briefly turning to glare at Sonny. "I'm not looking in my mirror."

Sonny dove on the floor, pretending to gasp for air. She clawed her way across the carpet, pulling herself up a little on her cast mate's chair. "You're…not?" Tawni rolled her eyes again. "But…but…isn't that a sign that the apocalypse or something?" She pulled herself all the way up, and started walking towards the door. "I'll go warn Nico and Brady."

Tawni grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards her. "Wait, I need you."

"You need me?" Sonny squealed, then calmed down before shivering. "That's two signs of the apocalypse. Now if Chad starts thinking of others, or Brady turns down a burrito…we'll have it full blown."

"Or maybe if you go without making jokes your stupid jokes for a day, or say a bad thing behind someone's back," Tawni smiled fakely. "Now, tell me, do you have any crushes?"

"Why?" She shot her frenemy a suspicious look. "Are you writing an embarrassing letter about me to Oceanup or something?"

Tawni laughed, "No, silly." Sonny let out a sigh of relief. "I do that every Thursday."

Sonny gave her a flat look, "What then?"

"I'm playing true love, and it said I only got a 53 with Shia LeBouef…and we both know that's not possible with two people as good looking as us."

"What's true love?" Sonny asked, "Are you actually in love with Shia? There's a way to know how well it works now? Does it require a lot of money?"

Tawni sighed, shaking her head, "No, it's just a game. You take your names and write them down. Then you write true love under it, and see how many letters are the same as the ones in the words true love. Like for T I get two, which ends up as 20 percent because there's a T in Tawni and a T in Hart." She thrust the paper at Sonny. "See?" Sonny looked down at the crap of notebook paper in front of her.

Shia LeBouef

Tawni Hart

T-2 L-1

R-1 O-1

U-1 V-0

E-1 E-1

53%

"Yeah, I get it." She nodded, handing it back. "Why do you need to know mine though?"

"Well, since Shia and I are clearly the only ones beautiful enough for each other, I need to make sure yours isn't good to check if it's working."

Sonny glared at her, "No. I don't need this all over E! News tomorrow, when you bad mouth me."

Tawni snickered again, "Honey, I don't bash you myself. I leave an anonymous tip. I couldn't tarnish my own reputation even if it meant ruining yours."

"I'm glad you've got your priorities straight," Sonny deadpanned, biting her lip.

"Me too," Tawni smiled bright. "So who is he? Nico? Grady? The taco guy who gives you extra lettuce?"

Sonny stared at her for a second before shaking her head. "No-one, I don't like anyone."

"Everyone likes someone, Sadie," She giggled, "Now who is he?"

"There's no he, and it's Sonny."

Tawni gave her a whatever look flowed by her saying, "Wait so you like a girl?"

"No!" Sonny protested, snorting. "I mean, let's face it. If anyone's got a gay skeleton in his closet it's Nico."

"Really? I think Zora. Although, it might be a little early to tell with her."

"It's possible…I guess…Chace Crawford is okay."

"Alright," The blonde scribbled furiously on the paper. "It's just as I thought…there is no way you have a 45% chance and there's no way Chace would give you that much of a look not when he's got Leighton Meester and Taylor Momsen at his fingertips." She handed the paper to Sonny. "Now come on, I'll let you buy me some fro yo." She grabbed her coat, and stared at Sonny who was still staring at the paper.

Chace Crawford

Sonny Monroe

T-0 L-0

R-2 O-3

U-0 V-0

E-2 E-2

45%

"Well? Are you coming?" Tawni asked huffily.

"Yeah, just let me find my purse." Sonny nodded, still not moving.

"Alright, I'll meet you there," Tawni walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Sonny waited a second, making sure she wasn't coming back before scrawling something onto the paper in front of her.

Chad Dylan Cooper

Sonny Monroe

T-0 L-1

R-2 O-4

U-0 V-0

E-2 E-2

47%

"Yeah," She said to herself under her breath. "It's broken, Sonny." Still she felt her perpetual smile leave her face as she grabbed her purse and followed Tawni out.


	2. MASH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Chad Dylan Cooper had a routine. He got to set at 10. Usually they shot two scenes in the morning, the first was typically one of his onscreen ex-girlfriends trying to drive a wedge between him and his new love, or him and the stepbrother he never knew he had, or him finding out his sister was really adopted and developing feelings for her. The second usually consisted of him fighting with his rival from James Creek the next town over. Then at noon, he left for his two hour lunch.

You might say no-one really needed two hours for lunch, especially in Hollywood, and you'd be right. Chad Dylan Cooper never used to take two hours for lunch. In fact he'd seldom even left the Falls in order to get it, he'd just sent Portlyn to go pick him up something unless he had a date. That was before though, when the only thrill the cafeteria held was the possibility of finding one of Brenda's, the extremely manly lunch lady's, hairs in your food. And he didn't do hair, unless it was his own.

Then something had shifted, Sonny Monroe had come to television. Admittedly, the first time he'd seen her she'd been in a fat suit, and he'd stolen her frozen yogurt because Portlyn was sick that day, so he'd been forced to walk all the way to the cafeteria and get his own. And then she'd melted in his hands like putty when she'd come to the Falls. Which made her the equivalent of every other girl in Hollywood. Still, she was kind of cute, even if she was a member of the hated So Random! team.

But then, she'd bocked him. Which wasn't dirty or anything, she'd just acted like a chicken. Most people would see it as a turn off, but the thing was…no-one of the opposite sex had ever challenged him before. Tawni Hart was the only other one who dared to stand up to him, and a bag of rocks was smarter than she was, so it wasn't hard to defeat her in an argument. Sonny, though, Sonny was smart. And funny. And cute. And she could light up any room just by walking into it. The only thing was, she was also infuriatingly not interested in him.

That didn't stop him from trying though, he waited there everyday for her to get done with whatever sketch she had. She usually came in around 1:00 but she could be earlier or later depending on how much time she could stand to spend in her dressing room with Tawni and when Beavis and Butthead came in to eat their stupid slop.

This time she came in alone, a few minutes late, looking around nervously. He smiled, getting up from his seat at the head of the table to go and retrieve his meal. Which, given it was Tuesday, was steamed clams flown in especially for them from Cape Cod. He had planned to walk by her table, honestly, but she looked sort of…sad. So he sat down, "Sonny," He offered shortly.

She looked up at him, her brown eyes seeming startled, "Chad," she nodded, playing with her hands. "What are you doing?" She snapped her head up and looked around, "Is there a camera in the room?"

"Always with the funny," He rolled his eyes.

"So you admit I'm funny," She smiled smugly, and his chest did this weird…fluttery thing. Outwardly he grimaced though, and got up to head over to the lunch line.

She followed him, "So are you going to the Teen Actor's Guild Awards this weekend?" She asked, suddenly back to her usual good mood.

"Why, are you planning on making yourself look good by making me America's most hated jerk throb again?" He glared at her, picking up a tray.

"No, I think once was enough," She smiled to herself. "Not that you make it hard or anything. I just heard you got nominated for Best Actor in a Drama."

"I did indeed," He smirked, "I've won three years running."

"So you aren't worried about that guy who plays Ricky on Secret Life of an American Teenager?" He'd never noticed that she got a crease in her forehead when she frowned before, not that he cared.

"Huh?" He asked, he'd honestly missed her question.

"Oh, I see, you don't even need to justify that with a ridiculously ego-filled answer it's so absurd," She rolled her eyes as Brenda served him his heap of still steaming clams.

"Of course not, I mean," He gestured to himself. "Look at me."

"Uh-huh," She mumbled, and she was indeed staring at him lustily. Finally! He had concurred her, but what did he do now? Did he kiss her? Or did he make her take off her shirt? Or maybe did he just make her suffer like she'd made him? So what if it was unintentionally. He still wanted revenge…He was Chad Dylan Cooper, damn it!

"You guys have clams today?" She mumbled, licking her lips, unintentionally making him even more hot and bothered. And he felt like doing something extremely childish, like kicking her in the shins and running away. He didn't though, Chad Dylan Cooper didn't do temper tantrums. He just fired people, and he really doubted firing her would help…the fluttering.

So he resorted to revenge, "Yep," He grinned, "Specially imported from Caped Cod. They have the world's best clams, you know."

"I know," She muttered, breathing hard. It was kind of sexy…sort of maybe….in a really unsexy kind of way. "I went there once on vacation, boy do I love their steamers…" She was practically begging him, wouldn't it be nice if he could push her over the edge though?

"Oh yeah, they're great aren't they? Especially soaked in butter….Mmm…" She nodded, still staring at them. "Why? What are you having?"

She looked up at him, and then away, "Um…so who's your date for the TAG Awards?" He looked over to where Brenda was standing, Sloppy Joes. Emphasis on sloppy.

"Oh, no-one." He'd actually been debating between getting up the courage to ask her and having his people call Ashley Tisdale's. "I'm just gonna find the hottest girl there and then invite her to my party."

"What if she already has a date?" Sonny snorted, looking over at his castmates.

"What? You think Dean has a better chance than-" He pointed at himself, "-all of this."

"You're right, what was I thinking?" She rolled her eyes.

"Exactly…so who's the poor sucker you conned into going with you?" He smirked, taking a step closer to her. Poor girl, once she broke down and admitted she didn't have a date he'd gallantly swoop in and offer to take her. And then no-one could dare accuse him of liking Sonny Monroe. They'd just think he was saving the day, being the-

"David Henrie," She answered, and suddenly he felt the chocolate strawberries he'd been munching between takes coming back up.

"What?" He swallowed. There was no way she could be going with David Henrie, Selena Gomez had rejected him last week. Did that mean she was hotter than he was? No, that was ridiculous, but still.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. We're just going as friends, he made that clear. He sent me a bouquet of yellow roses this morning," She was doing that stupid, giggly smile-talking thing he hated. Oh god, he hated her.

"Roses?" He asked, in what he could only hope was his usual nonchalant manner.

"Yep, but yellow ones. And yellow, yellow means friendship." Oh no, that meant that Taylor Momsen really hadn't been hitting on him at the Grammy's. Just like Sharona said.

"Uh-huh," He shoved the clams at her, "I'm gonna go, talk to…intelligent people now."

Sonny was staring at the clams though, "You don't want these?"

"No, no," He shook his head. "Seafood diets are out."

"See you on Saturday!" She called after him, all smiley and giddy. And why shouldn't she have been? She had clams and David Henrie! And what did he have? Great hair…but also no date, and no roses! He somehow stumbled his way over to the Falls' usual table as Sonny walked happily out with his clams, a little hop in her step. He took his seat at the head.

"Why do you look all…sweaty?" Portlyn asked, leaning her head back and forth to study him.

"Talking without a script, Portyln!" He yelled, banging his fist down on the table and making his cast jump.

"And why are you all angry?" She further inquired.

"Because you kept flubbing your lines in that last scene!" He embellished, he actually was pissed about that. It had taken them an extra twenty minutes to get done because she was swooning over Zac Efron's picture on their Banned Wall when she should have been studying her script. And he, he was perfect all the way through like usual. He looked t see a piece of paper in front of her. "What are you doing?"

"Playing Mash, wanna try?" She said excitedly, clearly she hopped he'd add her to his list of potential wives. As if, he wasn't about to bump Ashley Tisdale for her.

"No thanks, I don't have time for child's play, you know," He snorted, leaning back smoothly in his chair and almost forgetting about Sonny and her stupid date with stupid David Henrie…almost. "I'm a serious actor."

"Oh, and we're not?" She mumbled, looking hurt. And suddenly everyone else at the table suddenly looked angry with him too. Maybe Portlyn really wanted to disappear in that ballooning accident.

"Okay, fine," He sighed. "One quick game."

"Alright," She quickly scribbled down the header. "Names of three girls you could marry."

"Ashley Tisdale, Hannah Montana, Miranda Cosgrove," He rattled off, staring at his finally shaped cuticles.

"Who're you choosing for the reject?" Dean looked over her shoulder. "Oh, come on!"

"No, it's a surprise," She smiled. Oh god, he should have made Dean do it…she'd gone and picked herself.

"Is it Lola Luftnagle?" Samantha asked, leaning over.

"Ew, no," She wrinkled her nose, "Worse."

"No way…is it Tawni?" She guessed and they giggled.

"Tawni's not bad," Dean shrugged. Please, like they all didn't know he was into her.

"Uh-huh," They mumbled, and went on with their list going through, cars, jobs, kids, and honeymoon, one-by-one. Finally they asked for a number.

"15," He answered easily. It was his favorite, the total number of letters in all three of his names. His back ups were 4, 5, and 6.

Portlyn started striking through the list rapidly, crossing of a Porsche here and a vacation in Paris there. Then she ticked off the last choice and held it up. "Chad Dylan Cooper will live in a mansion," Please, that was a no-brainer. "With Sonny Monroe," He choked on his soda. "He will be an actor, and they'll have a Lamborghini," At least one, he automatically corrected. "They will honeymoon in the Bahamas, and will have one son and no pets." Oh my god, Chad Dylan junior, just like he'd always wanted. "And this is all true," He pushed himself up from his chair.

"Where are you going?" Portlyn inquired, standing to follow.

"I think I might be sick." He mumbled. Oh how the mighty have fallen.


	3. Truth or Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You miss having me in your dressing room?"

"Live from the TAG Awards with Sonny Monroe!" The woman reported perkily, grabbing her arm with a vice grip just as the camera panned towards them. "Sonny, how exciting is it to be at your first big Hollywood award show?"

"Uh…fantastic?" She smiled unsurely. She was beginning to understand how people came off so badly in interviews. It was because reporters like this kidnapped you when you lost track of your 'friend' date because the Teen Gladiators ran past and you had to fall back to avoid crashing into the guy from Just Jared.

"Now Sonny," Chipper lady's lips curled upward. She had lipstick on her teeth, ew. God, she'd been spending way too much time with Tawni. "You're going to play a little game with us?"

"I like games," She squeaked, and shot her trademark million-dollar-smile at the camera. "What are we playing? Monopoly? Sorry? Pass the Pigs?"

The interviewer shot her a look somewhere between confusion and disgust before regaining her composure, "Actually, it's Truth or Dare."

"Oh, Truth or Dare," Her mouth faltered. "Great," She lied. She hated Truth or Dare, it was how Lucy had found out she had a crush on Matt Bergstrom back home and how Tawni had found out she'd been the one who lost her 'Bite, wipe, gloss' lip gloss and it was how Nico and Grady knew she was afraid of squirrels. And therefore, they'd organized a sketch around the furry little mongrels which she'd had to go along with as not hurt Marshall's feelings.

"Well, pick one," The woman said tersely, clearly getting annoyed. Why couldn't she just move on to someone else like Grady who would love to have five minutes in the spotlight, even if it meant playing this unholy game?

"Um, truth, let's go with truth," Truth was the safe answer, right? They couldn't make you kiss anyone that way…she hoped.

"Alright, who's your celebrity crush?" Damn it, there were no safe answers! Uh, who didn't she have a shot with anyways? She could say David, since he was her date after all…or she could say Shia LaBeouf like Tawni had but her frenemy might slaughter her in her sleep…and she could always tell the truth…

"I don't have one," She smiled sweetly, trying not to look nervous and jumpy, which she was. "When you get to Hollywood everyone is a talented, and usually handsome, actor or singer and you realize how superficial it is just to judge them on just that when people are looking at you that way and expecting what they want from you rather than what you are."

"Well spoken, Monroe," An unmistakable voice said from behind her. "Total lie if you ask me, but a good one at least." He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned in. Her heart stopped as his lips made contact with her cheek. Then, just as quickly, it came back, full swing thumping and jumping into her throat. It was so hot suddenly, burning. And she found herself jerking away, not because she wanted to but because she couldn't bear making contact with that particular part of him for a second longer. At least not without being sprayed down first.

"Hi Chad," She muttered, turning her face away from the camera so the millions of people watching this online later wouldn't see her blush.

"So you two are still friends after his little publicity stunt on Santiago Heraldo's show?" The reporter piped, clearly thrilled that a practical nobody in Hollywood had been bait enough to hook Hollywood's biggest bad boy.

"Why yes, yes we are," Chad smirked. He would have done that either way, she frowned. Even if he still hated her for calling her a jerk throb on national TV. Which he was. He put his slung his arm carelessly around her, "In fact, we're closer than ever."

"So…could a So Random! and Mackenzie Falls crossover be in the stars?" The reporter beamed. Suddenly Sonny saw Santiago

"We'll see," He looked away expertly. It was exactly the kind of eye movement that said 'Sssh…we're not supposed to talk about it yet' without actually saying it so he couldn't get in trouble when it didn't materialize later. Which it wouldn't, because Chad hated So Random! And Sonny, being a Random! girl herself, by extension hated Mackenzie Falls.

"Sonny, what can you tell-"

"Sorry, gotta go," Chad cut her off, moving Sonny away by putting his hand on the small of her back and leading her towards the entrance. What was he doing? He was ruining her interview! Jerk! She was going to turn around and yell at him but then she remembered what a mess that had turned into last time and let him. "Great chatting with you."

"What are you doing?" She snapped as soon as she was out of ear range of the paparazzi.

"You looked ready to kill yourself," He shrugged, straightening the sleeves of his stupid uniform. "So I decided to schmooze your way out of it."

It took her a minute to register what he had just said. She looked miserable, he wanted to get her away…Oh, oh- "You were rescuing me?" She breathed, putting a hand over her heart unconsciously. "That's so nice," She gasped, looking up at his pretty blue eyes.

"I have my moments," He shrugged, "Besides, my date disappeared on me and I need pictures of me in the magazines with a pretty girl. So I found the closest one available."

She really couldn't breathe now. She thought she looked pretty, she had on a shinning purple dress cut just above the knee with a sweetheart neckline. Even Tawni had admitted that she looked 'decent' but if Chad said it… "You think I look pretty?" She echoed, feeling her legs turn to jelly.

"Sonny, would you stop twisting my words?" He hissed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "There are cameras around, I don't want to get a reputation as Hollywood's biggest mushball."

She smiled, feeling like she had a coat hanger in her mouth and poked his stomach, "But you are just a wittle mushball," She cooed and he moved away from her. She followed though, and repeated the poking. "Aren't you Chad?"

"Stop it. Stop it! Stop it!" He shouted, jumping backwards. Suddenly everyone in the room turned towards him. He froze, and smiled fakely, "Just rehearsing a crossover scene. Move on people." And they did, he turned back to her, glaring, "Don't you ever do that in public again!" He hissed under his breathe.

"Why?" She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted people to know you for who you're not."

"So you admit I'm not a mushball," He smiled smugly. Damn it, he was so good at talking you into a corner.

"No…I just…I just…" What was she supposed to say? The truth? Yes, sometimes she wished he was someone else. Someone who she could talk to without fighting, someone who didn't think of her as 'nice' like everyone else, someone who might deep down inside be a really good person, if he would just let it out. You couldn't say that to a guy like Chad Dylan Cooper though, not without sending him running away from you screaming. "Never mind, you're right. You're just a jerk." Maybe it was just her subconscious desire manifesting itself for her benefit, but she could have sworn she saw his ever-present cocky smirk falter.

"That's me," He said after a minute, staring at his hands. Then he looked back up at her, looking perpetually annoying as usual. "I'm gonna go mingle." She nodded and looked at the floor. Maybe he really had just wanted the most attractive girl in his arm's length for a picture, that seemed like something he'd try and pull. Even if said attractive girl already had a date. "Hey Monroe," She looked up instantly to see him standing about five feet away. "I'm having a party later at my townhouse, you can…you know…come pass out food or something if you want," He mumbled.

"Is this your version of a party invitation?" She snorted, fighting to keep a smile off her lips. A party at Chad Dylan Cooper's house! She had to sneak to the bathroom and call Lucy.

"Well, you know, I don't do cardboard cutouts again if people reject them the first time," He shrugged, his teeth just barely showing.

"Really? I'm sure gonna miss that," Sonny laughed, feeling herself blush for some reason.

"Really?" He grinned, "You miss having me in your dressing room?" She felt everything from the tips of her toes to the tops of her ears go scarlet now.

"N-no," She stuttered, suddenly feeling as if she might fall over in the stupid high-heels Tawni had talked her into. "It was a joke. I mean, who really wants a cardboard cutout of you around, except maybe Grady and Nico…and that's just because they like drawing on it," She was making it so much worse, oh god. It was the first time she'd met him all over again. "And Tawni likes looking in her mirror more than she likes looking at anyone else. It's kind of weird. Sometimes I wonder if she's asexual or if she really is that vain-"

She could swear she heard him stifle a laugh, "It was a joke," He told her seriously. "You know, I am occasionally capable of making them," He smirked. "I'll see you at my party. Don't wear your dress though, but no t-shirts and peasant blouses either. I do have some standards." He turned and started walking away again.

"Right, like prep school uniforms," She shot at his retreating back but he just kept going. She teetered over to the opposite set of doors to the auditorium, calculating exactly when she could leave without being rude. She'd at least have to wait until after Chad's award but she figured later than that was fair game. She had a 'no t-shirts and peasant blouses' outfit to plan. She was probably going to need Tawni's help.

Wait, where the hell was David?


	4. I Never

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I never had a thing for Chad Dylan Cooper."

Chad's house is amazing, to say the very least. She expected it, she prepared herself for the modern LA townhouse with marble bathrooms and sleek modern furniture and high ceilings that she'd gawked at in magazines back in Wisconsin, but she still hadn't quite been able to imagine it. The second she walked in to the coat room, which is bigger than her bedroom in her apartment downtown, it took her breath away with its glowing black brick walls and bright white carpet that looks so soft she had to resist the urge to lie down and rub her face against it. And this, she soon finds out, is the least impressive room of the house.

He has the biggest living room she's ever seen. It's the size of a ballroom at a four-star hotel and about a hundred times nicer. When she walks in, even though she's early, it's got more people than the time she went to Disneyland for Christmas. There are two black spiral staircases at either end where people are leaning, sipping drinks and flirting with whomever else has found a spot there. She spots James Conroy up there, looking bitterly down at Tawni who's shaking her groove thing on the dark wooden floor to 'Harder to Breathe' by Maroon 5. She's dressed in a pink, like usual. Her dress is tight at the top and puffs out at the bottom. Chris Pine from Star Trek is dancing beside her, obviously he thinks he's dancing with her but the truth is Tawni likes being with herself more than anyone else.

She lets her eyes wander away from them, to Portlyn who is clearly drunk and coming on to the boy who plays Serena's gay younger brother on Gossip Girl. To the corner where Trace Cyrus is standing with someone she assumes to be his girlfriend, shirtless and displaying all his tattoos while wearing the tightest black skinny jeans she's ever seen. To Nico and Grady who have found a few scared looking girls from Nick's iCarly and have taken advantage of their vulnerability and are trying to grind them.

Then she stops at another familiar face. This one wears a pained expression as he listens to Robert Pattinson who has a small, mysterious smile on his face and is gesturing with his hands. She laughs lightly to herself as she can practically hear his thoughts, "Stupid Brit, thinks he's so great. He never would have gotten that part in that Moonlight movie if I hadn't turned it down. And what the hell is wrong with his hair? Does he not own a blow-dryer?" She watches him like that for a while, smiling when he gets that really annoyed crease in his forehead. And frowning when he gets that cocky smile as he undoubtedly shoves some insult in Robert's face and walks away. She doesn't just loathe it when he wins against her, she hates it when he wins against anyone.

Her eyes follow him as he mingles around the room, stopping at Nico and Grady and attempting to throw them out since he didn't invite them. Smiling in stony politeness at Selena Gomez who she can tell he's still mad at for barging out of his movie set and leaving Sonny to play herself. Filling up a cup of something that looks like juice but is probably something else for an unsuspecting Miley Cyrus who sips it daintily and laughs harder than she was before at his jokes to the disapproving stares of Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso who are standing with her. She stands there being mad at him, as the brunette flings her arm around his shoulders and clearly leans in to kiss him. The sudden she does though, he seems to loose interest. He flashes a smile at Emily and mumbles something that makes her laugh and Mitchel grimace before continuing his rounds of the room.

He's made his way through the crowd and over to Tawni, who is still dancing like a mad woman. He shakes his head and mumbles something that is not doubt sarcastic at her. She just laughs like she usually does when Sonny tells her she spends too much time in front of the mirror though, and turns towards the DJ again. That's when his eyes finally flicker across to her side of the room, and meet hers dead on. She watches his blue eyes brighten, and go downward, he licks his lips as he takes in her delicately curled hair, her strapless blue dress, her sexy strappy silver stilettos. She ignores the fact that he spends a little too long looking at what's holding the dress up because, damn it, it feels good to have him looking at her like this. And he tracks back upwards to her face, his sparkly orbs brighten as he watches her lips for a minute, and she wills him to come to here. To come do it, just get the stupid games over with. Blue meets brown though, and suddenly he's gone. He's leaning in to another, blonder, bluer, bitchier girl. One she knows all to well. And his lips are on hers instead.

She feels her stomach starting to be sick and she turns on her heel and runs toward what she assumes to be the bathroom but is actually the kitchen. She hears footsteps behind her but between the nausea and holding back the tears she doesn't even think about stopping to see who they belong to. Instead, she leans over Chad's sterling silver sink and throws up into it.

\- - -

An hour later, she's sitting on the floor in front of it, and the tears are flowing freely. Selena is on one side of her, her arm draped around her shoulders as she tries to console her. Portlyn is on the other, staring down at her from her standing position. She seems torn between feeling sorry for the brunette girl who just got burned by her co-star and wanting to slap her back into reality.

"It's not your fault, Sonny," Selena coos. "He's a jerk, he'll always be a jerk. And worse than that, he actually like you. I mean, if this is how we tries to get girls the boy needs serious therapy."

"He's had serious therapy," Portlyn interrupts, sipping her cocktail and looking bored. "And every time he comes out of it more messed up than before."

"God, would you shut up?" She rolls her eyes, before turning them back to Sonny. "She's right though, people like this don't get better. You can't change them Sonny, no matter how good a person you are."

"Maybe I won't be a good person then," She sniffles, looking up at them. "Maybe I'll be bad." The other two brunettes share a look.

"Sonny," Portlyn looks at her skeptically. "I don't think you could be bad if you tried you're too…"

"Nice?" She mutters, her brown eyes big with hurt.

"No…" She mumbles, looking into the liquid in her hands.

"Sweet?" She suggests, genuinely interested now.

"Naïve," Portlyn says finally. "You're too sheltered. And it's not a bad thing, here in Hollywood everyone is all bitter and cynical…like me, or Chad, or Tawni. Especially those two, they probably deserve each other. You, you're different. More…"

"Innocent?" She squeaks. "Seriously?" Her eyes narrow in anger. "I am not naïve. I've done plenty of stuff that's not PG."

Portlyn snorts, covering her mouth with her hand. "Yeah right, like what? You bubble to your top and you call people jerk faces and mean. Have you ever sworn? Have you ever even thought it in your head?" Sonny frowns, looking at the ground. "Have you ever gone on a real date Sonny? Have you ever even kissed a boy?" She bites her lip to keep from crying. "That's what I thought, naïve."

Her eyes flash up to the leggy girl in the slutty red dress in front of her, "I am not naïve."

"Prove it," Portlyn challenges, with a little laugh. Selena, leaned against the counter, sighs and gives Sonny a 'Don't Bother' look. Sonny is really considering this but then four words come out of Portlyn's mouth that she was never able to refuse, "What are you? Chicken?"

And Sonny finds herself grabbing a bottle of vodka off the counter and storming back into the enormous living room. She can here the click clack of Selena's Christian Louboutin sandals as she races after her, trying to change her mind. She's already got her mind set on it though. She pushes her way over to the DJ stand, grabbing the mic from it's resting place and tapping it on. "Sonny Monroe in the house!" She announces, and about half the people in the room make some kind of positive response. Apparently the others still have no idea who she is.

Suddenly Chad is standing next to her, a pained smile on his face, "What do you think you're doing?" He hisses, without breaking his perfect facial charade.

"Playing a game," She whispers in the same curt tone before turning back to the crowd with a dazzling smile. "Who here knows how to play I Never?" Most of the crowd cheers, but she still sees a few blank faces. "The basic idea is I say something ambiguous like, "I never had a crush on Johnny Depp" and whoever has, drinks."

"I've never seen Titanic," Most of the girls in the room drink, along with some of the guys.

Chad grabs the microphone from her, "I've never liked this game." A lot of people, including Sonny, tag big swigs.

He tosses it to Portlyn, who has never worn white after labor day. And pretty soon it's flying across the room. Chad drinks when someone says they've never had sex, and again when someone else says they haven't done it in an elevator. Sonny drinks when Miley says she's never lost her faith, when a short redhead claims she's never been in love, and when James claims he hasn't been dumped. Liar.

Nico says he's never had a serious girlfriend. Grady claims he never liked Harry Potter. Selena says she never dated Nick Jonas. David that he has never considered himself a whore. And it keeps going until it lands on Tawni.

The blonde girl stares into her drink for a long time, before her eyes cut up and to Chad. "I've never had a thing for Chad Dylan Cooper," She grins, and most of the girls in the room down their entire glasses, and some of the boys.

The thing is though, when Sonny goes to drink, she finds him staring at her intently. Like he's waiting for her to polish off the rest of the bottle. Honestly, Sonny knows this is what she should do because it's honest and she's never been a cheater but she also doesn't want to prove him right.

Then Miranda Cosgrove begins, "I've never-"

"Wait!" Chad shouts, waving his arm at her to put down the microphone. "We aren't done with the last one yet. Sonny didn't drink."

"Ever thought maybe she doesn't like you?" Tawni scoffs, and half the room erupts into laughter. And Sonny can see that it's coming from the female half, the half that have already been heartbroken by him. He's still looking at her though, desperately now, holding out his own cup to her, and she meets his eyes. His big, sparkly, pleading blue eyes.

And she finds herself reaching for it, taking a tiny sip before returning it, "Happy now?" She mumbles, pushing out of the room. She can hear the laughter behind her.


	5. 20 Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't like playing games with you."

He really tries to avoid going to the cafeteria on Monday, he does. Not only because Brenda's out sick and lazy eye Lisa is filling in but because he didn't want to face… Tawni. Yep, he doesn't want to face _Tawni_ at all because she kissed him and then said she didn't like him. Which everyone knows is impossible, because he's Chad Dylan Cooper and no-one can resist him not even… _Tawni Hart_.

So he has Portlyn and Chastity get him sushi. He's about to scarf it down when he sees it…a hair…in his food. How utterly repulsive. So he pushes it off the side of the desk and into the trash can next to it, much to the disapproving grumble of his stomach. Chad Dylan Cooper is not one of those repulsive manorexics like Dennis Quaid, he's naturally skinny. And he definitely needs food.

He checks the clock emblazoned with his face on the wall (that line of home décor he did for Target actually turned out quite well for decorating his dressing room) and sees that it's quarter past one. That means _Tawni_ has probably has already come and gone with her food, so he can just sneak down and try to convince Lisa that he needs some Chicken Marsala as opposed to whatever gross brown slop they're serving today.

So he hoists himself out of his navy blue swivel chair and walks in that direction, stopping nervously at the door to peer in. Not that he's afraid of _Tawni_ , he just would rather not see her. After she admitted…AHEM, denied liking him. She isn't sitting there though, so he runs in greedily, and cuts Zora in line for his food. And Lisa does get him his food. And he sits down at his table and gobbles it down as quickly as he can shovel it into his mouth, but then a flash goes off. He stops, his mouth still hanging open and full of meat and looks up.

There is Sonny Monroe looking smug and holding up her camera phone. Shit. She turns it toward him, that stupid light-up a room smile on her face and laughs, "Looks like I've got my new background." And there he is, looking like she usually does on Taco Tuesday, food smudging his perfect cheeks and another forkful being shoved into his mouth. Oh god, is this what he's been reduced to? And because of what? Some girl who said she liked him.

All girls liked him, for God's sakes, he was Chad Dylan Cooper. It only made sense that it would unnerve him a little more with Sonny, I mean, she had spent so long swearing up and down a wall that she hated him when with normal people had fallen at his knees. He would just have to handle her the way he handled any other girl who he found remotely attractive. He swallowed, and wiped his face with moist towelette (Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't use napkins, the roughness against his skin could cause acne, and he does not get acne), and gives his most highly insured smile. "Sonny," He greets charmingly, if he does say so himself. And let's face it, he's always right. "Don't you look pretty today?"

"I do?" She asks in surprise, looking down at her brightly colored outfit. Clearly she had expected a snaky reply instead of a compliment.

"Of course," He smiles, "Join me?" He gestures for her to sit down and snaps at Lisa to bring a second plate.

"Actually I'd rather…" She trails off, staring at his chicken though. And he knows she won't dare refuse a decent meal just to be rude to him. "Well…"

"Oh, if you don't like the chicken, Lisa can make you something else. Salmon? A steak? Whatever you like."

She doesn't even look at him though, she's staring at his plate and licking her lips, "Oh no, this is fine." Lisa places the plate in front of her, tying a bib around her neck. "More than fine."

He grins, "I thought so." He watches her as she rubs her hands together and dives in, "Don't forget to leave room for dessert," He adds thoughtfully, "We're having chocolate mousse."

"Okay," She smiles toothily at him before resuming eating, and he knows that she's forgotten, at least for a moment, that he made her the laughing stalk of young Hollywood the other night and it's probably a good time to make his move.

"Hey Sonny, want to play a game?"

She looks up at him nervously, "I don't like playing games with you," She states, crossing her arms across her chest.

"This one is harmless, I promise," She still doesn't look convinced. "Twenty questions, Sonny, haven't you ever played?"

She nods, "Alright, I'll play that." And she goes back to stuffing her face. He waits, because he knows she gets kind of bitter when you interrupt her lunchtime. He usually likes it, but if she gets mad at him now she won't play.

So she clears her plate and he signals to Lisa to wait with dessert. "Alright, number one, do you think I'm cute?"

"That's not how you play, Chad," She snaps at him, narrowing her eyes. "You do know 20 questions is the game you play where you choose a person, place, or thing and other people ask questions to find out what it is."

He chuckles at the anger in her eyes, "Oh Sonny, you didn't think I played like _normal_ people did you? Poor innocent, naïve little Sonny, no, I only do things that have to do with me."

Fortunately for him, Portlyn had told him exactly what she'd said to tick Sonny off in the kitchen, and he knew she would turn down those words. "Why you aren't…scared, are you?"

She met his eyes, and he could hear all the words she wanted to throw at him, but she wouldn't. He'd just dared her, and like him, she couldn't turn one down. "Alright, fine, on one condition."

Her lips formed a perfect O as she said it and he noticed the nice dark pink she was wearing on them. So dark, yet so alluring. "Name it," He tossed back nonchalantly.

"I get the last ten," Damn it. He thought she'd just ask him to get her a second helping of lunch or something. He needed answers to more than ten questions. And he was just about tell her this when she got another smug little smirk on her face. "Aw…you aren't going to do it, are you?" Ugh, damn her! Who did she think she was? "It's okay if you're afraid to answer a few silly little questions, Chad."

"I'm not afraid," He swallowed, straightening his prep school uniform.

"Good," Ugh, did she have to look so proud of herself? It was so…hot. Stupid hot.

"Good."

"Good."

"GOOD." He shouted, causing several people to stare at them. "Now would you answer the damn question?"

She glared at him, "Well, yes, I find you…somewhat attractive," She put her hands together in front of her and avoided his eyes.

"Somewhat?" He snorted, please.

"Ugh, you are so into yourself," She rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't know it counted if we lied on the questions," He challenged, because really, everyone knew he was downright gorgeous.

"Fine," She spat, "You might be _really_ attractive but you kind of ruin it by talking."

He sighed, why did she have to go and ruin a perfect compliment like that by adding that, "Who broke up with you?" It had been bugging him ever since she'd drank to it at his party.

"What?" She jumped a little, looking at him. "Why do you care?"

"Just answer the question, you'll get yours." Like he cared, he was Chad Dylan Cooper he didn't care about people…pffft. Especially not certain pretty haired comediennes from Wisconsin.

"This kid named Nick at home," She mumbled, "We went steady all summer and then he broke up with me so he could go to homecoming with this girl named Taylor."

"Nick Jonas and Taylor Swift?" He asked incredulously. All this time he'd been worrying about stupid, floppy-haired Joe knocking him out of lead runner for Choice Male Hottie when he should have been leaking vicious rumors about afro boy.

She gave him a look, "I'm from Wisconsin, remember?" Oh thank god, his Teen Choice Award was safe.

"Oh," He breathed, "Right, just give me a second." He was suddenly very tempted to ask her if she thought Nick Jonas was hotter than him, but it seemed like a waste of a question. "So why have you never had sex?"

"Are all of these questions this superficial?" She gave him a flat look.

"Well, you're going have to answer them and find out."

"Let's see, because sex is something that should be based on a loving, trusting relationship that I have not yet experienced and probably won't until marriage." Was she kidding? He blinked a couple times and she appeared to be dead serious. Oh, wow, that explained a lot.

"Oh, you're one of those."

"One of what?" She hissed, narrowing her eyes at him again.

"Those people who think God is going to "punish" them," He air quoted, "If they fuck someone without the right paperwork."

"Uh, no, that's not the way I'd put it," She retorted. "I'm one of those people who believes if someone really loves you enough they'll be willing to wait for you because your relationship does not revolve around sex."

"So you're planning on marrying a girl then," He laughed, leaning back in his seat. "Because guys like that don't exist."

"Of course they do!" She cried indignantly. "Love and sex are totally separate things to some guys, just because you aren't complex enough to understand that-"

"Oh please, I'm complex. I'm plenty complex." Really? Him? Simple? Pffft…that was as absurd…as…Nick Jonas dating Taylor Swift. "And because I am so remarkably complex, I will let you in on a little secret. Sex and love are only separate in the occasion that sex is without love, not in that when love is without sex."

"Wow, that convinces me," She said dryly. "You know, no guy has ever told me this was stupid before. You must be the first one, ever." She looked at him, "I know it's hard for you to hear this but sex isn't just exchanging fluid, it's exchanging feelings. Just because you like to hide them…" And she just kept lecturing, "Doesn't mean they aren't there and…" UGH! She needed to stop mocking him about it, if there was one thing he knew, it was how not to fall in love. And she was questioning him on it. She was sitting here telling him, you couldn't have sex without some sort of feelings. He was Chad Dylan Cooper. He could do anything! "That it doesn't hurt other people-"

He felt his lips crash into hers. And not only did her lipstick look good, but it tasted good too, much better than Tawni's Cocoa Moco Cocoa. He felt her lips press back against his, and her arms wrap around his neck as they stood, pressing against each other while she slipped her tongue into his mouth. God, he shouldn't be doing this in public. It was Sonny Monroe, his hated enemy, cast member of So Random!, she was a freaking virgin. He forced himself to back away.

"This is wrong," He panted and she didn't seem to be able to breathe either. "It's sick and twisted."

"You're right," she nodded, swallowing. "It's disgusting and unnatural…and bad…and…and-" His mouth was on hers again, oh man did he love the taste of coconut. It was so exotic and refreshing and sweet-

She threw him off of her again, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," He ran a hand through his hair, he really needed to pull himself together. "It was just so hot hearing you talk about it like that…and the kiss…it was…it was…"

"So hot," She was leaning towards him again. "Oh god, we shouldn't be doing this. I hate you!"

"Right back at you!" He nodded, "But Sonny, come on, I mean…" He leaned in again, running his hands through her hair. "Do you really want me to stop?" He breathed. It was a line from last week's episode of Mackenzie Falls where Mackenzie kissed his new step-sister. He figured they could demand it edited it out before it aired though.

She hesitated for about a second before closing the distance between their lips again just barely and pulling away. Was she trying to torture him? "But not here, I mean, people they could see us. And you…me…I…"

"You're ashamed of me." He stated and she looked guilty. He grinned, "I feel the same way about you."

"Really?" An ecstatic smile appeared on her face. "That's so sweet," She leaned in again and he grabbed her hand.

"Come on, my dressing room's closer." He pulled her and she ran along, giggling.

That is, if they made it to the dressing room.


End file.
